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Infective Endocarditis Revealed after Resolution of COVID-19 Infection

Tomohisa Sakata1, Kenji Harada1, Yutaka Aoyama1

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan.

Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)
|September 14, 2022
PubMed

Insights

A COVID-19 patient developed infective endocarditis, leading to heart attack and multiple embolisms. Prompt diagnosis and surgical mitral valve replacement were crucial for recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiovascular Surgery

Background:

  • COVID-19 infection can present with complex cardiovascular complications.
  • Infective endocarditis is a serious condition involving heart valve infection and potential systemic embolization.
  • Acute myocardial infarction and cerebral embolisms are critical manifestations requiring urgent investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of native mitral valve infective endocarditis following COVID-19.
  • To highlight the diagnostic challenges and management of embolic events in this context.
  • To emphasize the importance of early surgical intervention for severe infective endocarditis.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 34-year-old female diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Utilized contrast-enhanced computed tomography and brain MRI for embolism detection.
  • Performed transthoracic echocardiography for valve assessment and blood cultures for pathogen identification.
  • Surgical mitral valve replacement was performed.

Main Results:

  • The patient experienced acute myocardial infarction and multiple cerebral embolisms post-COVID-19 treatment.
  • Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was identified as the causative agent of infective endocarditis.
  • An 11-mm vegetation was found on the posterior mitral valve leaflet.
  • Successful surgical mitral valve replacement was achieved.

Conclusions:

  • Native mitral valve infective endocarditis can be a severe complication of COVID-19.
  • Early diagnosis and aggressive management, including surgery, are vital for favorable outcomes.
  • This case underscores the need for vigilance regarding embolic phenomena in post-viral inflammatory conditions.

Keywords:
COVID-19 infectioninfective endocarditismitral valve replacement

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